Samuel Parkes, The chemical catechism, (1826)

Samuel Parkes (1761–1825) was self-taught manufacturing chemist. When his daughter Sarah was about nine years old, Parkes produced a series of chemistry lessons for her in manuscript form. These were published in 1806 as A Chemical Catechism for the use of young people: with copious notes for the assistance of the teacher. The book went through thirteen English editions, numerous American editions and was translated into French, German, Spanish and Italian. It even reached the Emperor of Russia who, it is said, sent him a valuable ring in return.

Parkes advocated the study of chemistry for its ‘habit of investigation’.  Chemistry, he believed, ‘lays the foundation of an ardent and inquiring mind’, whatever a child may grow up to do.  He also believed in encouraging a ‘love of knowledge’; the catechetical form was not intended to be rigid or to be ‘committed to memory verbatim by the pupil’.  Instead, ‘whether it be employed as a catechism, as a set of dialogues, as matter for familiar conversation, or as a book for the closet’, Parkes hoped to encourage students to undertake self-study and develop a passion for the subject.

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